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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Two candidates running in the upcoming parliamentary elections next week were referred to the courts on charges of use of political money and vote-buying to influence voters.

The Public Security Department (PSD) press office announced that based on anonymous tips alleging that the candidates are providing financial payments to prospective voters and withholding large numbers of voter cards, two candidates were called in for questioning by the Preventative security department.

The candidates, one running in the third district in Amman and another on a national ticket, were referred to the public prosecutor to investigate the allegations of vote-buying and elections crimes, in accordance with articles 25 and 65 of the 2012 Elections Law.

The Amman candidate also face charges of withholding voter cards, which violates article 61 A of the Elections law.

The Public Prosecutor charged the other candidate, running on a national ticket, with crimes of "donating" and "promising to donate" financial payments in return for votes, in violation of Articles 25 and 65 of the law.

The allegations come less than a week before the parliamentary elections day, slated for Wednesday, January 23rd.

Last week, two other candidates were ordered detained for 15 days pending investigation into charges of vote-buying and political money in their campaigning.

One of the candidates is running in Amman, while the other female candidate is running in Mafraq governorate.

The Independent Elections Commission repeatedly stressed that the practice of using political money, vote-buying, offering bribes and benefits to voters, and withholding voter cards are punishable in accordance with the 2012 Elections Law.